Tuesday, June 5, 2007

I'm having to spend all day...

getting used to the idea that I'm 37. Because tonight at 7:00 pm, I officially turn 38.

Now why, must I spend all day getting used to being 37, you ask, gentle reader? Because I woke up this morning thoroughly and unequivocally convinced that I was 36 TURNING 37. Whereas in truth, because it's all about TRUTH, I'm 37 TURNING 38!

I know, math has never been my strong point. Harrumph.

Anyway, it's not like this is the first time I've ever flubbed my age. When I was in the hospital with my first son during his illness, I literally lost two years. We were in the hospital almost two years, where a person loses all time and space perspective, let alone trivialities like days, weeks, months and how old you are. I could recite his birth story asleep because every intern that walks in takes that part of the medical history, but I could not remember how old I was. Blame it on sleep deprivation or stress or whatever. But I was convinced I was 24 when actually I was 26.

Now, thankfully I don't have that whole hospital thing going on to blame this mental pause on, which actually now as I type that out in some respects makes things worse. Because I do have readily available calendars and iCal on the Mac, and a checkbook with a calendar, and a calculator to do the math for me, but for whatever reason, I missed it.

Hence, a couple of things come out of this, I'm only going to be--in my mind--37 for about 12 hours. And secondly, I'm going to re-institute the wisdom of children and begin to count my years with halves. So at Christmastime, if you ask my age, I'll respond, "I'm 38 1/2."

~Sigh~

13 comments:

  1. You know, this probably isn't as unusual as you might think. About a year ago someone asked me how old I was and I drew a complete blank. Then, I started to say 40, but somehow that didn't seem right, but neither did 41 (for the record, I was 41).

    I thought about how much of a dipstick that made me feel, until it hit me that you just don't go around all day thinking about your age or having people ask you for that information, on a regular basis (like we did when we were younger and for some goofy reason it was important to know those things).

    So as I'm typing this, I actually had to think about my age and realized I am 42. It doesn't feel right to say that, and not because of some paranoia I have about getting older, but it just sounds so disconnected from "me" to use that number.

    I've heard other folks say they've experienced similar situations as well.

    Maybe we've all just lost it and this is the first sign? :) I suppose that's entirely possible as well.

    Just wanted you to know you're not alone on this one.

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  2. And if you needed proof that this is the first sign of losing it, that would be in the fact that I completely forgot to say

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

    Eat lots of cake!

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  3. LOL! Thanks so much, Carla. Very glad to know that the old folks home will contain many like us. Just don't steal my pudding.

    The disconnected thing is right on target descriptive. The number doesn't seem to be me, which is probably numero uno reason for the mental disassociation.

    Another piece of chocolate helps, I hear--I can still hear.

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  4. Sometime after the third child came along I started to forget basic things about myself, like my age, too. I just turned 30, but I still think I'm 25.

    Happy Birthday!!!

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  5. The kids have this great game for the Nintendo DS called Brain Age. It's mental exercises that improve quick thinking. My real age is 39.5. My Brain Age is 26 (20 is considered optimal)!

    Happy Birthday, Elle.

    Many happy returns on the day of thy birth
    May joy and gladness be given
    And may the dear Savior prepare you on earth
    For a more glorious birthday in Heaven.

    Warmly,

    Clem

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  6. Happiest birthday wishes, my friend!

    And no, you are not alone in the whole forgetting your age deal. One time someone asked me how old I was, which I supplied the answer with utmost confidence, only to have my husband whisper to me, "No, babe, you're ____." I was shocked! No matter my age, I still feel like I'm 27--do we ever quit feeling that way?

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  7. Oh, Darlin'...wait till you're staring down the barrel at 46. The antidote is cake. Lots and lots of cake.

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  8. Oh, Darlin'...wait till you're staring down the barrel at 46. The antidote is cake. Lots and lots of cake.

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  9. It's a bit past the actual moment, but happy, happy birthday, Elle! Worryeth not, I have to stop and think about my age too, and for some reason had a horrible time remembering whether Moose was born in 2001 or 2002 for the first several years of his life. I think I have that one down now (it was 2001) but the Lord knows I'm forgetting lots of other things as well! At least we're remembering our names. THis week. ;)

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  10. Happy, happy birthday!! I meant to get over here on the day to say it, but, somehow didn't. I'm sorry! And, for the record, I have to do the math sometimes to figure out how old I am when someone asks, too. I think it's because I still feel like I'm about 22 and pretty much stay there in my head all the time. Not that I'm weird about my age - I don't care if people know how old I am, I just don't think about it all the time, like Carla said, and when I do, it feels so strange to connect that age with myself. So, anyway, I hope your day was super special.

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  11. HeeHee! At church Sunday evening, we decided that I was older than you. Now, it seems that you are indeed the eldest as I do not turn 37 until August.

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  12. Good grief, I'm a week late! Hope you had a happy birthday; both of them - the 37th and the 38th.

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  13. been there...done that..

    a day or two before my 28th birthday...I realized I was not turning 28...I was turning 30!!!

    this was really a huge shock for me...and it took quite awhile for me to really grasp this...

    even now...I still have to think twice about how old I am...

    but really it's okay...I think age is just a number...how old/young you are is more about perception and attitude...about how you live your life...

    so enjoy 37...you can be 38 next year! ;-)

    blessings, mamabright :-)

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